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Substancewithoutstyle's Slightly Frivolous Flora and Fauna Photo Gallery


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20 May 2015

Wednesday

 

 

Box Jellyfish

 

They may not look dangerous, but the sting from a box jellyfish could be enough to send you to Davy Jones's locker-a watery grave, that is. Box jellyfish belong to the class Cubozoa, and are not a true jellyfish (Scyphozoa), although they show many similar characteristics.

 

Box jellyfish, named for their body shape, have tentacles covered in biological booby traps known as nematocysts - tiny darts loaded with poison. People and animals unfortunate enough to be injected with this poison may experience paralysis, cardiac arrest, and even death, all within a few minutes of being stung.

 

While box jellyfish are found in warm coastal waters around the world, the lethal varieties are found primarily in the Indo-Pacific region and northern Australia. This includes the Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri), considered the most venomous marine animal. Chironex fleckeri is the largest of the box jellyfish, with body sizes reaching up to one foot in diameter and thick, bootlace-like tentacles up to 10 feet long.

 

Box jellyfish have traits that set them apart from other jellyfish. Most notably, box jellyfish can swim—at maximum speeds approaching four knots—whereas most species of jellyfish float wherever the current takes them, with little control over their direction. Box jellyfish can also see. They have clusters of eyes on each side of the box. Some of these eyes are surprisingly sophisticated, with a lens and cornea, an iris that can contract in bright light, and a retina. Their speed and vision leads some researchers to believe that box jellyfish actively hunt their prey, mainly shrimp and small fish.

 

Box jellyfish are transparent and pale blue in colour, which makes them pretty much invisible in the water. So much so that for years nobody knew what was causing swimmers such excruciating pain, and sometimes killed them.

 

Stings of Chironex fleckeri have several very severe consequences, due to its cardiotoxic (effect on the heart), neurotoxic (damage to the nerves) and dermatonecrotic (effect on the skin) components. It is not uncommon for victims who have had extensive contact (three metres of tentacles touching the skin can be enough to be fatal) to experience cardiac arrest within minutes. Even if that is not the case, the pain from a sting is so excruciating and overwhelming that a victim can immediately go into shock, fatal if the victim is swimming alone. Someone stung while swimming will rarely be able to make it back to shore on their own.

 

 

 

 

Whoa! :o

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23 May 2015

Saturday

 

 

Southern Ground Hornbill

 

Found in southern and eastern Africa, The southern ground-hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) is the largest hornbill in the world and features a striking red facial and throat skin that contrasts with its black plumage. This species is named for its habit of walking on the ground as it feeds, and it is less often seen in flight.

 

The southern ground-hornbill is long-lived, reaching 50 or even 60 years old. It has a varied diet, mainly consisting of arthropods found on the ground. During the dry season, amphibians and lizards are also eaten, and larger species including snakes, hares and tortoises have also been recorded in its diet. The southern ground-hornbill also occasionally eats carrion, fruit and seeds, and will groom common warthogs for parasites which it then consumes.

 

Mating in the southern ground-hornbill occurs between September and December, and two eggs are usually laid in tree or cliff hollows. The first egg is laid three to five days before the second and the first chick invariably outcompetes its younger sibling. As only one chick usually survives to fledge the reproductive rate of this species is therefore fairly slow. The eggs of the southern ground-hornbill hatch after an incubation period of about 40 days. The young fledge at around 85 days old, but are dependent on the adults for several more months.

 

The southern ground-hornbill sometimes lives as a single breeding pair, but more commonly in a co-operative breeding group in which the dominant breeding pair is assisted by other members of the group. Groups contain around 2 to 11 individuals, and defend a territory of up to 100 square kilometres.

 

 

 

 

That red bit that puffs up - is that to attract the attention of a mate?

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22 May 2015

Friday

 

 

Moss Balls

 

Moss Balls, also known as Lake Balls or Marimo in Japan, are balls of algae. Specifically, a branching, filamentous algae called Aegagropila linnaei.

 

It's much more typical for them to grow like a carpet or as little tufts, either floating just above the sediment or attached to rocks, depending on local conditions. Everything has to be just right to achieve Moss Balls: light levels, sediment, and undercurrents.

 

The round shape of the Marimo is maintained by gentle wave action that occasionally turns it. The balls are green all the way round which guarantees that they can photosynthesize no matter which side is turned upwards. Inside, the ball is also green and packed with dormant chloroplasts which become active in a matter of hours if the ball breaks apart. The wave action also cleans the balls of detritus. It takes more than 100 years for Marimo algae to grow to a diameter of 10cm.

 

Marimo were declared a Japanese Natural Treasure in 1921, and then in 1952 became a Special Japanese Natural Treasure. Lake Akan is the most commonly known lake containing the balls, but they can also be found in Lakes Shiranitoro, Toro, Kawaguchi and Sai, all in the Iloklaido district of Japan.

 

Every October, the Marimo Festival is held on the shores of Lake Akan, which includes lectures on the growth of Marimo and field trips to their habitat.

 

 

 

Amazing..! :)

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19 May 2015

Tuesday

 

 

Caracal

 

The caracal (Caracal caracal) is a slender, graceful cat with a short, dense coat and distinctive, long, black-tufted ears. The body colour varies from reddish-brown to tawny-grey, but occasionally entirely black “melanistic” individuals may occur.

 

Possessing tremendous speed and agility, the caracal is a formidable predator capable of tackling prey two to three times its size. Its long, powerful hind legs enable it to make incredible leaps up to three metres high and catch birds in flight by batting them from the air with its large paws. In the past, this ability led to many caracals being trained to hunt game birds for the Persian and Indian royalty. The caracal is also the fastest cat of its size, and uses its speed to run down prey such as hyraxes, hares and small antelopes. This species is superbly adapted for life in arid environments and requires very little water, apparently getting adequate supplies from its food.

 

Caracals are usually solitary, and maintain territories which may vary between 5 and 48 square kilometres in South Africa, and up to 1,116 square kilometres in the Middle East. In the arid regions of Africa, the average home range size is around 316.4 square kilometers. Male caracals possess the largest territories, which usually encompass the home ranges of several females. The caracal appears to breed throughout the year, although breeding is known to peak between October and February in South Africa. After a gestation period of around 68 to 81 days, the female may give birth to as many as six young, though three are most commonly produced.

 

The caracal has a large range, including much of Africa, and also extending through the Arabian and Anatolian Peninsula, and southwestern and central Asia, as far as Kazakhstan and central India.

 

 

 

Absolutely gorgeous! :wub:

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22 May 2015

Friday

 

 

Moss Balls

 

Moss Balls, also known as Lake Balls or Marimo in Japan, are balls of algae. Specifically, a branching, filamentous algae called Aegagropila linnaei.

 

It's much more typical for them to grow like a carpet or as little tufts, either floating just above the sediment or attached to rocks, depending on local conditions. Everything has to be just right to achieve Moss Balls: light levels, sediment, and undercurrents.

 

The round shape of the Marimo is maintained by gentle wave action that occasionally turns it. The balls are green all the way round which guarantees that they can photosynthesize no matter which side is turned upwards. Inside, the ball is also green and packed with dormant chloroplasts which become active in a matter of hours if the ball breaks apart. The wave action also cleans the balls of detritus. It takes more than 100 years for Marimo algae to grow to a diameter of 10cm.

 

Marimo were declared a Japanese Natural Treasure in 1921, and then in 1952 became a Special Japanese Natural Treasure. Lake Akan is the most commonly known lake containing the balls, but they can also be found in Lakes Shiranitoro, Toro, Kawaguchi and Sai, all in the Iloklaido district of Japan.

 

Every October, the Marimo Festival is held on the shores of Lake Akan, which includes lectures on the growth of Marimo and field trips to their habitat.

 

 

 

Amazing..! :)

 

Heh, I think the word "Amazeballs" would work here :D

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24 May 2015

Sunday

 

 

Emperor Tamarin

 

Arguably the most charismatic of the tamarins, the emperor tamarin (Saguinus imperator) is a small primate named for its characteristic long white moustache.

 

The diet of the emperor tamarin is opportunistic and comprises a wide variety of food sources, including fruits, flowers, nectar, frogs, snails, insects and even small birds. It also feeds on sap and gum, especially in the late dry season and the early wet season. The emperor tamarin does not gnaw holes in trees itself to obtain sap, but will instead exploit wounds in trees or hijack previously existing holes made by marmosets to feed on the sap that is exuded.

 

The emperor tamarin lives in social groups of around 4 to 20 individuals, consisting of a single breeding pair, up to several generations of their offspring, and unrelated migratory adults. Tamarins and marmosets are thought to exhibit a polyandrous mating system, in which a single dominant female will mate with several different males during the breeding season. The single dominant female will suppress the reproductive abilities of other females in the group by exhibiting dominant behaviour, and will release pheromones during scent marking which also suppress breeding.

 

The gestation period of the emperor tamarin is around 140 to 145 days, after which the dominant female will give birth to twins. At birth, young tamarins weigh a remarkable 25 percent of the female’s body weight. In all tamarin and marmoset species, the infants are initially carried until they are around 70 days old, after which they become independent and are able to catch insects and feed themselves. All members of the group help to carry the young emperor tamarins.

 

The emperor tamarin’s range is concentrated within the south-western Amazon region.

 

 

 

Edited by substancewithoutstyle
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Seeing the toad post reminded me that I haven't seen tadpoles in a stream for decades. I miss seeing tadpoles.

We've got them in Goatnut. I'll make a video of them just for you. I need Toby to make some jumpy music

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For some reason the shrimp reminds of the shrimp muppet

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/marimo-and-shrimp_zpscv0zr5i6.jpg

 

http://www.empireonline.com/images/uploaded/ray-liotta-muppets.jpg

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24 May 2015

Sunday

 

 

Emperor Tamarin

 

Arguably the most charismatic of the tamarins, the emperor tamarin (Saguinus imperator) is a small primate named for its characteristic long white moustache.

 

The diet of the emperor tamarin is opportunistic and comprises a wide variety of food sources, including fruits, flowers, nectar, frogs, snails, insects and even small birds. It also feeds on sap and gum, especially in the late dry season and the early wet season. The emperor tamarin does not gnaw holes in trees itself to obtain sap, but will instead exploit wounds in trees or hijack previously existing holes made by marmosets to feed on the sap that is exuded.

 

The emperor tamarin lives in social groups of around 4 to 20 individuals, consisting of a single breeding pair, up to several generations of their offspring, and unrelated migratory adults. Tamarins and marmosets are thought to exhibit a polyandrous mating system, in which a single dominant female will mate with several different males during the breeding season. The single dominant female will suppress the reproductive abilities of other females in the group by exhibiting dominant behaviour, and will release pheromones during scent marking which also suppress breeding.

 

The gestation period of the emperor tamarin is around 140 to 145 days, after which the dominant female will give birth to twins. At birth, young tamarins weigh a remarkable 25 percent of the female’s body weight. In all tamarin and marmoset species, the infants are initially carried until they are around 70 days old, after which they become independent and are able to catch insects and feed themselves. All members of the group help to carry the young emperor tamarins.

 

The emperor tamarin’s range is concentrated within the south-western Amazon region.

 

 

 

Nice looking fellas. They look straight out of Labyrinth

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25 May 2015

Monday

 

 

Hooked Thread Snake

 

One of the smallest snakes in the world, the hooked thread snake is a rarely seen, predominately subterranean species of North Africa and the Middle East. Owing to its diminutive size, extremely slender body, and pink skin, it is often mistaken for an earthworm. The snout is strongly hooked for burrowing, hence the common name.

 

On account of their small size and secretive lives, most species within the Leptotyphlopidae family, including the hooked thread snake, are relatively poorly known. The hooked thread snake burrows in sand and soil, rarely being seen at the surface, except at night, or after being washed out by heavy rain. Although primarily a specialist termite feeder, this species will also feed on ants and other soft-bodied insects. Like other thread snakes, it lays eggs, with the clutch size ranging from two to four.

 

 

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25 May 2015

Monday

 

 

Hooked Thread Snake

 

One of the smallest snakes in the world, the hooked thread snake is a rarely seen, predominately subterranean species of North Africa and the Middle East. Owing to its diminutive size, extremely slender body, and pink skin, it is often mistaken for an earthworm. The snout is strongly hooked for burrowing, hence the common name.

 

On account of their small size and secretive lives, most species within the Leptotyphlopidae family, including the hooked thread snake, are relatively poorly known. The hooked thread snake burrows in sand and soil, rarely being seen at the surface, except at night, or after being washed out by heavy rain. Although primarily a specialist termite feeder, this species will also feed on ants and other soft-bodied insects. Like other thread snakes, it lays eggs, with the clutch size ranging from two to four.

 

 

Wow! That's one tiny snake

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22 May 2015

Friday

 

 

Moss Balls

 

Moss Balls, also known as Lake Balls or Marimo in Japan, are balls of algae. Specifically, a branching, filamentous algae called Aegagropila linnaei.

 

It's much more typical for them to grow like a carpet or as little tufts, either floating just above the sediment or attached to rocks, depending on local conditions. Everything has to be just right to achieve Moss Balls: light levels, sediment, and undercurrents.

 

The round shape of the Marimo is maintained by gentle wave action that occasionally turns it. The balls are green all the way round which guarantees that they can photosynthesize no matter which side is turned upwards. Inside, the ball is also green and packed with dormant chloroplasts which become active in a matter of hours if the ball breaks apart. The wave action also cleans the balls of detritus. It takes more than 100 years for Marimo algae to grow to a diameter of 10cm.

 

Marimo were declared a Japanese Natural Treasure in 1921, and then in 1952 became a Special Japanese Natural Treasure. Lake Akan is the most commonly known lake containing the balls, but they can also be found in Lakes Shiranitoro, Toro, Kawaguchi and Sai, all in the Iloklaido district of Japan.

 

Every October, the Marimo Festival is held on the shores of Lake Akan, which includes lectures on the growth of Marimo and field trips to their habitat.

 

 

 

Amazing..! :)

 

Heh, I think the word "Amazeballs" would work here :D

 

Just got that! :P

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24 May 2015

Sunday

 

 

Emperor Tamarin

 

Arguably the most charismatic of the tamarins, the emperor tamarin (Saguinus imperator) is a small primate named for its characteristic long white moustache.

 

The diet of the emperor tamarin is opportunistic and comprises a wide variety of food sources, including fruits, flowers, nectar, frogs, snails, insects and even small birds. It also feeds on sap and gum, especially in the late dry season and the early wet season. The emperor tamarin does not gnaw holes in trees itself to obtain sap, but will instead exploit wounds in trees or hijack previously existing holes made by marmosets to feed on the sap that is exuded.

 

The emperor tamarin lives in social groups of around 4 to 20 individuals, consisting of a single breeding pair, up to several generations of their offspring, and unrelated migratory adults. Tamarins and marmosets are thought to exhibit a polyandrous mating system, in which a single dominant female will mate with several different males during the breeding season. The single dominant female will suppress the reproductive abilities of other females in the group by exhibiting dominant behaviour, and will release pheromones during scent marking which also suppress breeding.

 

The gestation period of the emperor tamarin is around 140 to 145 days, after which the dominant female will give birth to twins. At birth, young tamarins weigh a remarkable 25 percent of the female’s body weight. In all tamarin and marmoset species, the infants are initially carried until they are around 70 days old, after which they become independent and are able to catch insects and feed themselves. All members of the group help to carry the young emperor tamarins.

 

The emperor tamarin’s range is concentrated within the south-western Amazon region.

 

 

 

photogenic little fella

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/Kejsertamarin04_zpsydwpq0hy.jpg

 

Beautiful! :)

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For some reason the shrimp reminds of the shrimp muppet

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a587/Sean81A/marimo-and-shrimp_zpscv0zr5i6.jpg

 

http://www.empireonline.com/images/uploaded/ray-liotta-muppets.jpg

 

Never thought of that..! :D

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25 May 2015

Monday

 

 

Hooked Thread Snake

 

One of the smallest snakes in the world, the hooked thread snake is a rarely seen, predominately subterranean species of North Africa and the Middle East. Owing to its diminutive size, extremely slender body, and pink skin, it is often mistaken for an earthworm. The snout is strongly hooked for burrowing, hence the common name.

 

On account of their small size and secretive lives, most species within the Leptotyphlopidae family, including the hooked thread snake, are relatively poorly known. The hooked thread snake burrows in sand and soil, rarely being seen at the surface, except at night, or after being washed out by heavy rain. Although primarily a specialist termite feeder, this species will also feed on ants and other soft-bodied insects. Like other thread snakes, it lays eggs, with the clutch size ranging from two to four.

 

 

 

That's a snake? :o

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26 May 2015

Tuesday

 

 

Christmas Tree Worms

 

Christmas tree worms, Spirobranchus giganteus, are Christmas tree-shaped serpulid tube-dwelling worms with magnificent twin spirals of plumes used for feeding and respiration. These cone-shaped worms are one of the most widely recognized sedentary polychaete worms. They come in many colors including orange, yellow, blue, and white and, though they are small with an average 3.8 cm span, they are easily spotted due to their shape, beauty, and color. The colorful plumes, or tentacles, are used for passive feeding on suspended food particles and plankton in the water. The plumes are also used for respiration. Though the plumes are visible, most of these worms are anchored in their burrows that they bore into live calcareous coral. Christmas tree worms are very sensitive to disturbances and will rapidly retract into their burrows at the slightest touch or passing shadow. They typically re-emerge a minute later, very slowly, to test the water before fully extending their plumes.

 

Christmas tree worms are polychaete ciliary feeders that feed using their radioles, the hair-like appendages or "feathers" that circle outward from the central spine, to catch phytoplankton floating by in the water. The food is then passed down a food groove by ciliary tracts — lines of tiny hair-like extensions on the surface of cells that generate water currents to move food or mucus. The food particles are sorted and larger particles are discarded. Sand grains are directed to storage sacs to be used later for tube building.

 

There are both male and female Christmas tree worms. They reproduce by casting their eggs and sperm into the water. The eggs are fertilized in the water then develop into larvae that settle on coral heads and then burrow into the coral to form their burrows.

 

 

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26 May 2015

Tuesday

 

 

Christmas Tree Worms

 

Christmas tree worms, Spirobranchus giganteus, are Christmas tree-shaped serpulid tube-dwelling worms with magnificent twin spirals of plumes used for feeding and respiration. These cone-shaped worms are one of the most widely recognized sedentary polychaete worms. They come in many colors including orange, yellow, blue, and white and, though they are small with an average 3.8 cm span, they are easily spotted due to their shape, beauty, and color. The colorful plumes, or tentacles, are used for passive feeding on suspended food particles and plankton in the water. The plumes are also used for respiration. Though the plumes are visible, most of these worms are anchored in their burrows that they bore into live calcareous coral. Christmas tree worms are very sensitive to disturbances and will rapidly retract into their burrows at the slightest touch or passing shadow. They typically re-emerge a minute later, very slowly, to test the water before fully extending their plumes.

 

Christmas tree worms are polychaete ciliary feeders that feed using their radioles, the hair-like appendages or "feathers" that circle outward from the central spine, to catch phytoplankton floating by in the water. The food is then passed down a food groove by ciliary tracts — lines of tiny hair-like extensions on the surface of cells that generate water currents to move food or mucus. The food particles are sorted and larger particles are discarded. Sand grains are directed to storage sacs to be used later for tube building.

 

There are both male and female Christmas tree worms. They reproduce by casting their eggs and sperm into the water. The eggs are fertilized in the water then develop into larvae that settle on coral heads and then burrow into the coral to form their burrows.

 

 

 

Wowwww...! :heart:

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26 May 2015

Tuesday

 

 

Christmas Tree Worms

 

Christmas tree worms, Spirobranchus giganteus, are Christmas tree-shaped serpulid tube-dwelling worms with magnificent twin spirals of plumes used for feeding and respiration. These cone-shaped worms are one of the most widely recognized sedentary polychaete worms. They come in many colors including orange, yellow, blue, and white and, though they are small with an average 3.8 cm span, they are easily spotted due to their shape, beauty, and color. The colorful plumes, or tentacles, are used for passive feeding on suspended food particles and plankton in the water. The plumes are also used for respiration. Though the plumes are visible, most of these worms are anchored in their burrows that they bore into live calcareous coral. Christmas tree worms are very sensitive to disturbances and will rapidly retract into their burrows at the slightest touch or passing shadow. They typically re-emerge a minute later, very slowly, to test the water before fully extending their plumes.

 

Christmas tree worms are polychaete ciliary feeders that feed using their radioles, the hair-like appendages or "feathers" that circle outward from the central spine, to catch phytoplankton floating by in the water. The food is then passed down a food groove by ciliary tracts — lines of tiny hair-like extensions on the surface of cells that generate water currents to move food or mucus. The food particles are sorted and larger particles are discarded. Sand grains are directed to storage sacs to be used later for tube building.

 

There are both male and female Christmas tree worms. They reproduce by casting their eggs and sperm into the water. The eggs are fertilized in the water then develop into larvae that settle on coral heads and then burrow into the coral to form their burrows.

 

 

Wow, they look amazing!!! :o

I'm willing to bet they're the best looking thing with "worm" in their name

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27 May 2015

Wednesday

 

 

Snake Gourd

 

The snake gourd is a tropical vine native to southern and eastern Asia, as well as Australia and the islands of the western Pacific. Like other gourds, it is a member of the pumpkin family (Cucurbitaceae), and as the name implies, the fruits are very long, sometimes reaching 6 feet, slender and often contorted.

 

During the course of a night, the bud of a snake gourd slowly unfurls into a beautiful white and strongly scented flower, fringed with long, lace-like tendrils. Their shape, colour and scent, as well as their nocturnal opening, clearly indicate that the snake gourd’s flowers are moth-pollinated.

 

Snake gourds are sometimes cultivated as a minor vegetable crop in parts of Africa, Madagascar and other tropical and subtropical regions. They are eaten as a vegetable when very young, although the taste is rather bland. As snake gourds get older, their flesh becomes tougher and more bitter, and their rind turns dark red and hardens.

 

Throughout Asia, many parts of the plant are believed to have medicinal qualities, and are used to treat a variety of ailments, from indigestion to diabetes.

 

 

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27 May 2015

Wednesday

 

 

Snake Gourd

 

The snake gourd is a tropical vine native to southern and eastern Asia, as well as Australia and the islands of the western Pacific. Like other gourds, it is a member of the pumpkin family (Cucurbitaceae), and as the name implies, the fruits are very long, sometimes reaching 6 feet, slender and often contorted.

 

During the course of a night, the bud of a snake gourd slowly unfurls into a beautiful white and strongly scented flower, fringed with long, lace-like tendrils. Their shape, colour and scent, as well as their nocturnal opening, clearly indicate that the snake gourd’s flowers are moth-pollinated.

 

Snake gourds are sometimes cultivated as a minor vegetable crop in parts of Africa, Madagascar and other tropical and subtropical regions. They are eaten as a vegetable when very young, although the taste is rather bland. As snake gourds get older, their flesh becomes tougher and more bitter, and their rind turns dark red and hardens.

 

Throughout Asia, many parts of the plant are believed to have medicinal qualities, and are used to treat a variety of ailments, from indigestion to diabetes.

 

 

 

How fascinating! And what pretty flowers! :)

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27 May 2015

Wednesday

 

 

Snake Gourd

 

The snake gourd is a tropical vine native to southern and eastern Asia, as well as Australia and the islands of the western Pacific. Like other gourds, it is a member of the pumpkin family (Cucurbitaceae), and as the name implies, the fruits are very long, sometimes reaching 6 feet, slender and often contorted.

 

During the course of a night, the bud of a snake gourd slowly unfurls into a beautiful white and strongly scented flower, fringed with long, lace-like tendrils. Their shape, colour and scent, as well as their nocturnal opening, clearly indicate that the snake gourd’s flowers are moth-pollinated.

 

Snake gourds are sometimes cultivated as a minor vegetable crop in parts of Africa, Madagascar and other tropical and subtropical regions. They are eaten as a vegetable when very young, although the taste is rather bland. As snake gourds get older, their flesh becomes tougher and more bitter, and their rind turns dark red and hardens.

 

Throughout Asia, many parts of the plant are believed to have medicinal qualities, and are used to treat a variety of ailments, from indigestion to diabetes.

 

 

I love how they corkscrew...and I agree, those are some fancy flowers

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28 May 2015

Thursday

 

 

Mata Mata Turtle

 

Matamata is a rural New Zealand town that was the shooting location for Hobbiton in The Lord of the Rings. The mata mata turtle originates on the other side of the world, in South America's Amazon and Orinoco basins.

 

The mata mata inhabits slow moving blackwater streams, stagnant pools, marshes, and swamps ranging into northern Bolivia, eastern Peru, Ecuador, eastern Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern and central Brazil. It is a strictly aquatic species that prefers staying in shallow water, where its snout can easily reach the surface to breathe.

 

Mata matas have a large, triangular and flattened head, covered by numerous tubercles and flaps of skin. The snout is long and tubular and resembles a horn. The snorkel-like snout allows the animal to lie fully submerged while breathing, with the least possible disturbance of the water surface. Overall, the body of this strange animal gives an appearance that resembles a piece of bark, whereas its head resembles fallen leaves.

 

They are sedentary animals, spending most of the day under water, and rarely bask. Mata mata turtles spend most of their time motionless in the water. They are very well camouflaged and simply wait for prey to come close by. Then, they simply thrust out their head and open the large mouth as wide as possible, creating a low-pressure vacuum that sucks prey into the mouth. The mouth is then shut and the water is slowly expelled; prey is swallowed whole. These strange animals are strictly carnivorous, consuming exclusively aquatic invertebrates and fish.

 

 

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